Daemon Uller
Lord Daemon Uller is the Lord of Hellholt, the son of Lord Mors Uller and Lady Marei of Hellholt and the reigning head of House Uller. Appearance and Character Daemon looks more Rhoynish than Andal, with curly black hair and olive skin that has only darkened with long exposure to the Dornish sun. He makes sure to always stay in fighting shape, though he is more slender than burly. Daemon is a kind-hearted and jovial man, when among his friends, his men, and those he trusts. But his father taught him the importance of a reputation, and House Uller has always had a dark and bloody reputation. "Fear is the first line of defense," he was fond of saying. So when acting in his capacity as Lord, Daemon is ruthless to his enemies and downright brutal to those he considers the enemies of Dorne as a whole. While those outside the Hellholt may see Lord Daemon as another violent, half-mad Uller, his men are fanatically loyal. Biography Daemon was born in 374 to Lord Mors Uller and his wife, Lady Marei Uller, formerly of House Vaith. When he turned 6, after the births of his twin brother and sister Gerold and Nymeria, he was sent to the Water Gardens, where he would meet and play with the other heirs and scions of Dorne, including his future liege, Princess Obara and the royal bastard, Orys Baratheon. He was younger than them, and can still remember riding Orys' shoulders through the water and nursing a boyhood crush on the beautiful Princess Obara. He was saddened to return to the Hellholt when he turned 11, but return he did. On his first day back from the Water Gardens, his father took him into the bowels of the Hellholt, past the cells, past the drains and cisterns. Down to where the smell of sulfur was almost too much, even for a son of the Hellholt. But even then the smell of old blood was strong. Lord Mors had taken his son to the torture chambers of House Uller. When his father lit the torches, Daemon could see past the torture racks, to the bones of the great dragon Meraxes, less the skull. Even as Daemon was still absorbing the size of the bones, Lord Mors led him deeper into the chamber to two alcoves set in the back of the enormous room and showed him the bones of Rhaenys Targaryen and Harlan Tyrell. Lord Mors explained to his son that the men of House Uller had always been the fiercest protectors of Dorne. They had slayed a dragon, but they had also tortured a young and beautiful queen to death. And encouraged the rumors to spread. When young Daemon asked why, his father said the words that have stayed with him ever since. "Fear has always been Dorne's first defense. And House Uller has always been Dorne's most fearsome House." Daemon did not truly understand what his father was trying to tell him until years later, when the Third Targaryen Rebellion began in Daemon's 16th year. Daemon rode with his father into the dunes and learned to fight like a true Dornishman. He displayed a knack for guerrilla warfare, and a true gift for leading men. It is a hard thing for a 16 year old to earn the respect of seasoned fighting men, but Daemon's fearlessness in battle and easy charisma around the campfires earned him their love. By the time the war was ending, Lord Mors was trusting his son to lead night raids and cavalry charges. He was also trusting him to cut into captives for information. For in time, Daemon came to understand why the Uller's had always wielded the knives (and other tools) themselves. Lords with paid torturers, who never hear the screams or see the blood, forget what it truly means to break a person with pain. But the Lords of House Uller do it themselves, never for pleasure, or anything so petty as personal vengeance. Only when necessary to protect Dorne. The first man Daemon tortured was Lyseni pirate captain who refused to share the location of his ship and the rest of his men. An invader. So Daemon broke him. He has never regretted it, though he sees the man's pale, weeping eyes from time to time in his dreams. Young Daemon returned from war a man of House Uller. His father returned with a wound that would never properly heal, but he was content in the knowledge that his son was ready to lead. So when he died 3 years later, abed, it was with a smile on his face, rare though it had been during his life. Though Lord Daemon's reign began in peacetime, there were always bandits in the sands. After his brother Gerold's 14th name day, he took him into the sands, to show his heir how men of House Uller defend their lands. Gerold rode and fought well. But he could not bring himself to cut into the flesh of a captive. He had a gentle soul, and Daemon lacked the heart to force him to do the deed. He would need to toughen his brother up somehow. And he would need an heir of his own body. Supporting Characters Lady Marei Uller (Vaith)-Mother- b. 352 Gerold Uller-Brother- b. 380 Nymeria Uller-Sister- b. 380 Ser Deziel of the Greenblood- b. 370 Category:House Uller Category:Dornish